Predicting length of stay for acute medical admissions in New Zealand: the MALICE score

Predicting length of stay (LoS) in hospital can help guide patient placement, facilitate rapid discharge and aid identification of patients at risk of prolonged stay, in whom early multidisciplinary intervention is warranted. We aimed to pilot the applicability of a modified decision aid (MALICE score) for predicting LoS for acute medical admissions at a New Zealand hospital. A prospective pilot study of 220 acute general medical admissions was performed. Clinical records were reviewed and MALICE scores were calculated for each patient and compared with LoS data using the Kruskal-Wallis H test. A statistically significant increase in LoS was seen with rising MALICE scores (H value 26.85, P < 0.001). MALICE scoring could be employed to guide patient placement and identify patients at risk of prolonged stays, though further study of bedside feasibility and applicability is required.